Drowning
by Drea Jackman
Summary: Suddenly cast out of the only life he’s ever known, Alec is alone and dealing with it the only way he knows how. But, who’ll be there to throw him a life line when he’s going under? (COMPLETE)
1. Drowning

TITLE: Drowning  
  
WRITTEN BY: Drea Jackman   
  
EMAIL: DreaJackman@Literati.co.uk   
  
RATING: R  
  
SUMMARY: Suddenly cast out of the only life he's ever known, Alec is alone and dealing with it  
the only way he knows how. But, who'll be there to throw him a life line when he's going under?  
  
DISCLAIMER: I own none of the characters involved. They belong to Cameron/Eglee  
Producions :(   
  
ARCHIVE: If I've said yes before I'll say it again, otherwise email me 'n' lemme know.   
  
FEEDBACK: Don't make me beg, please? ...D'OH!   
  
A/N: Well I'm kinda terrified of publishing this on the net, but I suppose it's gotta happen  
sometime hasn't it. My first non-M/L or Logan, or Max related fic. Welcome to the travesty that  
is my very first Alec-fic,hopefully first of many cause I hafta admit he's growing on me more and  
more :) If I don't have his character down exactly, please bear in mind that I've not seen season  
2 in the UK yet and that he IS at the end of his tether here!   
  
Please Review here cause I'd really appreciate the feedback if I'm ever going to continue writing  
for Alec.  
___________________________________________________________   
  
  
"You okay there pal?"  
  
"It's all good," a distance voice quoted.  
  
"If you say so." The barman shrugged and finished filling the stranger's glass before moving  
further down the bar to serve.  
  
The stranger himself sat bathed in shadow at the top corner of the bar staring almost wearily into  
his now full beer glass. It was times like these he found himself wishing it didn't take so much  
effort to get drunk. Drowning your sorrows wasn't the easiest task for an X5, but as Alec had  
learned over the past week or so, it was something that got easier with practice.  
  
Gone were the days that actually gave his now very sorry life meaning. Back at Manticore he  
had a pretty good set up, at least for him. Being able to disregard his conscience came in pretty  
handy there and life wasn't nearly as complicated. Out in the real world was so different to  
anything he'd ever known before.  
  
Life as X5/494 had been just that. His life had consisted of him and only him. There'd never  
been anyone else to think of first, no one to look out for and certainly no one to give a damn  
about him. He was all he had in the world.  
  
Downing the remnants of alcohol Alec welcomed the slightly drowsy feeling the drink was  
beginning to bring. It wouldn't be long till the warm embrace of the drug would quiet the  
problems in his troubled mind and let him forget for at least a little while. Ordering up another  
beer, this time a pitcher, the barkeep looked at him a little warily, but thought better of adding to  
the hassles of a guy he'd seen so down in there almost every other night that week.  
  
"Thanks."   
  
Alec's words were strangely appreciative as the other man set the pitcher down in front of him.   
Pouring himself another pint glass he began the process that lead to eventual, yet blissful  
ignorance.  
  
Freedom was more confining than the supposed Manticore prison had ever been. Out here he  
had to face things the likes of which would've never been necessary before. Social relationships  
were probably the biggest part of it. Even with the X5's, he'd always been part of a team, even if  
he himself was the only 'I' in it. Much as he hated to admit it, it did bother him that the others  
saw him as a waste of time. Some stupid screw up that didn't care about anyone or anything,  
the dick who was only out for himself.  
  
A few beers later and Alec was finding it a little easier to ignore the blatant truth that he hated  
more than anything else. He was afraid; frightened of a world that didn't want to give him a  
chance and scared to try to prove that he was worthy of one. Seeing Max and the others relate,  
having friends, people to count on who were there to care about her no matter what, it was all  
new to him. He'd been the only one he could count on for so long that he didn't know how to be  
a friend, but the one thing he never questioned was why no one ever wanted to be his. Afterall,  
he was just some smart Alec that didn't give a damn about anyone right?  
  
"Wrong," he mumbled staring at the now empty pitcher.  
  
The barman approached cautiously and picked up the empty pitcher looking at Alec with mild  
disinterest.   
  
"That's it pal."  
  
Alec didn't reply or protest, only stood up abruptly sending his barstool clattering to the floor.   
His eyes burned with the rage of denial. There was only one thing pushing against better  
judgement, foggy as it was at that moment and that was the simple mantra inside his head.   
  
'It's not enough, it's not all gone yet.'  
  
"Look you've had enough, time for you to be gettin' outa here while you can still walk," the  
barman said with more authority.  
  
"I'm not leaving till it's all gone," he replied thumping some more money down on the bar. He  
was referring to the thoughts and memories that still plagued him, but who were they to  
understand that?  
  
"You've had ENOUGH!"  
  
"Problem man?" a burly man in his mid-twenties asked approaching the bar.  
  
"That's okay Joe, this guy was just leavin'" the barman said turning his attention back to Alec.  
  
Alec stopped glaring at the man long enough to launch an ill-aimed punch at his face. The other  
man his side of the bar easily avoided it, twisting his arm around behind him to hold him steady.   
He even managed to rob him of the dignity in fighting back, just hauling his drunken ass away  
from the bar where he released him suddenly, letting Alec slam into a nearby table. Other  
people in the bar stopped to turn and stare, the music in the background growing suddenly  
silent.  
  
It took Alec a few seconds to register and react, gripping the end of the table to stop himself  
falling over completely. Undignified as his last stance was, he took it anyway, standing up  
slowly before raising his hands in surrender. Staggering backward towards the door he collided  
with tables and chairs sending them to the hard floor as the strangers stared and pitied. Finally  
making it out into the alleyway outside he fell against the wall and let the heavy rainfall wash  
over him.  
  
Hands braced shoulder width apart on the wall in front of him Alec breathed deeply, the cold rain  
ebbing and flowing through his dark hair to wash over his face. He was glad it did for it  
successfully concealed any evidence there may be that he may have felt anything for what his  
life had become. He was alone. No one to talk to about what was had happened, no one to  
simply sit there and provide company.  
  
The rain fell hard and heavy in straight sheets. As Alec turned to lean back on the wall he  
looked up at the blackened sky, thunder rumbling over head as lightening streaked the sky. It  
just wasn't enough. No amount of alcohol he consumed would ever do the job right, he'd never  
be able to forget it all completely.   
  
The sting of the rain on his face, the burning in his eyes, it was all reminiscent of the worst six  
months he'd ever spent at Manticore. When they'd found out 493, Ben, his twin, had been  
unstable they'd been afraid that it was genetically linked, so he'd been taken to some obscure  
wing of the facility and locked up for the entire duration while doctors performed all sorts of  
painful procedures, where commanding officers carried out the most torturous scenario's, all just  
to get inside his head and try and break him down to determine whether or not he really was like  
his brother.  
  
All Alec really wanted now was a chance to prove that he was his own person. That being that  
person didn't mean he was cold or heartless. He didn't always have to be the pathetic screw up  
that nobody cared about. Manticore didn't really teach it's kids to do alot of soul searching or  
anything like the sort of teachings that'd help with self reflection. Alec didn't know how to be  
anything else, and more to the point, he had no one to show him how to become something  
more.   
  
He didn't even know who he really was anymore. Where his place in a world of freedom lay and  
what use he could make of his life, it was all shrouded in mystery. But the biggest hurt of all was  
the fact that he wanted to change; wanted to be like Max and adapt. To be happy and know  
what it really felt like to enjoy freedom. For him, freedom was more of a prison than the prison.   
  
Joshua had the whole innocent thing going for him. Max had bonded with him so quickly that  
he'd even found himself envious of the canine transgenic. Everytime he thought about it he'd  
get angry, countless arguments inside his mind being thrown back and forth.   
  
'Why the hell should I change?'   
  
'Because who I am doesn't matter to them.'  
  
'Why don't I do something about it?'  
  
'Because I don't know how.'  
  
'Why should I care anyway?'  
  
'Because I don't want this!'  
  
'Don't want what?'  
  
'To be what everyone sees in me! To be the screw up!'  
  
Exasperated as self reflection finally took hold, Alec finally hauled himself up from the wall in the  
darkened alley and managed to lay one foot in front of the other. Staggering, he made his way  
out onto the street where he disappeared from sight into the storm, the thunder peeling loudly  
over head as lightening blazed across the sky setting it ablaze. 


	2. Life Line

TITLE: Drowning  
  
WRITTEN BY: Drea Jackman   
  
EMAIL: DreaJackman@Literati.co.uk   
  
RATING: R  
  
SUMMARY: Suddenly cast out of the only life he's ever known, Alec is alone and dealing with it  
the only way he knows how. But, who'll be there to throw him a life line when he's going under?  
  
DISCLAIMER: I own none of the characters involved. They belong to Cameron/Eglee  
Producions :(   
  
ARCHIVE: If I've said yes before I'll say it again, otherwise email me 'n' lemme know.   
  
FEEDBACK: Don't make me beg, please? ...D'OH!   
  
A/N: Well I'm kinda terrified of publishing this on the net, but I suppose it's gotta happen  
sometime hasn't it. My first non-M/L or Logan, or Max related fic. Welcome to the travesty that  
is my very first Alec-fic,hopefully first of many cause I hafta admit he's growing on me more and  
more :) If I don't have his character down exactly, please bear in mind that I've not seen season  
2 in the UK yet and that he IS at the end of his tether here!   
  
Please Review here cause I'd really appreciate the feedback if I'm ever going to continue writing  
for Alec.  
___________________________________________________________   
  
  
The lightening blazed across the night sky and illuminated the darkened corners of Max's  
apartment. Sitting in bed after having yet another hard time trying to get some hardly needed  
sleep, she was reading a book Logan had given her. It was pretty involved, by some Tolkien  
guy, but he'd insisted it was one of the greats he'd read as a teenager. Max had to agree it was  
pretty interesting if completely far fetched. Logan had only suggested developing more of an  
imagination in reading it. So, there she was after midnight chilling with his book in an otherwise  
empty apartment. Being Saturday night, Cindy had hit Crash with the others and obviously  
hooked herself up with some girl she'd no doubt claim was nothing but 'damn fine'.  
  
In the middle of a particularly envoking chapter Max's sensitive hearing picked up something  
shuffling out in the corridor. Shrugging it off she returned her attention to the page she was on,  
only to be disturbed by the sound again. As she laid the book on the bed and got up, she made  
her way silently through the apartment arriving behind the closed door in a pair of black shorts  
and a dark blue tank. As the soft thump echoed through the wood beside her, Max took a deep  
breath and opened the door, fully prepared to attack whatever wierdo was sneaking around her  
home at such a late hour.  
  
"Alec? What the hell do you wa...?"  
  
Max's verbal attack stopped dead as she took in the appearance of the man standing before her.   
He was dressed casual as always, black jacket and blue jeans, everything soaked through. His  
hair lay limply against his forehead, rain still dripping down his face as his eyes reluctantly rose  
to meet her stern gaze. There was nothing smart about the Alec standing before her.  
  
"What the hell happened to you?" she asked, her voice losing the majority of it's venom.  
  
Alec didn't answer, only dropped his gaze towards the ground beneath his feet again, unwilling  
to meet her scrutiny. In the hour it'd taken him to make his way from the bar to Max's sector he'd  
done nothing but curse the fact that almost all of the alcohol in his system had begun to wear off,  
the dimming effect growing less and less until he'd found himself standing in the doorway of her  
building, debating whether or not to go up. The only reaction he managed was an involuntary  
shiver as more water made it's way down his neck.  
  
"Alec?"  
  
His eyes rose slowly once again to meet hers, his expression lost and distant, eyes desperately  
seeking a comfort no one had ever cared to offer.  
  
"C'mon," Max said softly, finally realising there was something seriously going on with him and  
whatever it was, it wasn't meant to be dealt with in the hall.  
  
Reaching out she gripped the arm of his sodden jacket and tugged on it lightly, guiding him  
inside as she continued to look him over, worry rising with every second he stayed silent. It  
wasn't like him, no smart ass remarks, no argumentative comments to rile her up. This Alec  
looked washed out, for all the world it was only an expression she remembered seeing on Ben's  
troubled face before he died. Max hated seeing it again, even on Alec.  
  
Alec didn't really know what he was doing there or why he'd even bothered in the first place. In  
a drunken stupor where he'd hit rock bottom, he'd ended up on her doorstep. He followed her  
direction, entering her home and stopping as she let go of him to close the door. Looking  
around he took in how settled she was in her apartment, her home. He still didn't really know  
what that felt like either, then again, how could he ever hope to being the man he was?  
  
"Take off your jacket," she said matter of factly as she walked past him towards her room.   
  
Pulling back the curtain she went inside and rummaged through her things until she found an old  
T-shirt that was way too big for her. She'd only kept it around because it came in handy to have  
clothes you didn't give a rats ass about when the building you lived in was falling apart. There  
was also an old pair of baggy cargo's Herbal had left behind one night the crew had been out  
drinking and ended up back with Original Cindy and her to crash out. A little big even for Alec,  
but they were better than cold, wet jeans.  
  
Tossing them out on the bed she pulled the curtain back and found Alec standing exactly where  
she'd left him in the centre of the room. Walking out towards him she tossed a hand behind her  
gesturing to the room behind the curtain. Stopping in front of him she peered up until she'd  
managed to catch his eyes with hers again, her left arm rising to touch his right one lightly, while  
her right directed him towards her room.  
  
"Gotta get you outa these wet clothes," she said, taking the jacket he now held in his hand. "You  
can change in there, I left some stuff out."  
  
Silently Alec followed her direction and disappeared behind the curtain. Slipping out of his  
sodden jeans and into the dry, baggy cargo's he made surprisingly efficient time considering the  
amount of alcohol clouding his coordination.  
  
Max paced the floor, her face frantic. Not only was she concerned, she was downright worried.   
Listening closer she followed the movements behind the curtain and found all sounds of  
movement growing fainter until they stopped altogether. Clearing her throat a few seconds later  
she waited another moment before finally pulling the curtain back slowly, the dim light from the  
lightening flashes splashing shadow across the room's walls. She couldn't see him at first.  
  
"Alec?"  
  
"Here," his voice reached out to her from the dark corner of her room.  
  
Max entered letting the curtain fall closed behind her as she stopped by the bed and sat down.   
Alec sat on the floor on the opposite side of the room, back pressed against the wall, knees  
drawn up to his chest with his arms pinned beneath.  
  
"Wanna tell me what's going on?" her voice tested.  
  
"Nothing to talk about," he replied flatly, his voice blank showing neither upset or malice.  
  
"Bull. What happened?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Alec, come on..." she began growing tired of playing games.  
  
"Come on Max, what do you want me to say?" Alec shot back, his eyes locking with hers, flashes  
of anger and some other emotion betrayed in their depths.  
  
"Tell me what's bothering you, or is that too obvious a request?" she shot back growing equally  
as heated by his reluctance to speak up.  
  
Alec felt a bitter snort of contempt escape him and once again he beat himself down inside for  
falling true to form. Again the loser pissing someone else off.  
  
"Why do you even care?" he asked after a few moments, sounding defeated.  
  
Max had to stop at that point too. Normally she'd say 'because I care about you' or 'because  
that's what friends do', but she'd never really given Alec much thought in that respect. Not out of  
malice or hatred of him at all, just down to the fact that since she'd met him he'd never shown  
any desire to have that kind of relationship, he'd never needed anything from her and it had  
always suited him just fine to be content to piss her off.  
  
"Because someone has to."  
  
Her words were simple, but the very second they were spoken Alec's eyes shot up to meet hers.   
How could she know so little about him and still know exactly what to say? How could someone  
who saw him like everyone else did possibly give a damn? Max too noticed his physical reaction  
and decided to continue along that line of discussion to find out what the deal was. Turning  
round on the bed she tucked one leg up underneath her and prepared to sit there all night if  
that's what it'd take.  
  
Silence.  
  
"I'm not him," Alec said in a voice bearly above a whisper.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"493," he began, unable to meet her gaze. "I'm not him."  
  
"You think I don't know that already?" Max asked sounding surprised.  
  
"That time I spent locked away in the facility after he died, it was the worst time of my life.   
Useless tests, scenario's designed to trick me and break me down. Took the bastards six whole  
fucking months to figure out I wasn't him."  
  
Max couldn't speak, she had nothing to say. What on earth could she possibly say to make him  
feel better after what they'd done to him. She knew fine well what Manticore's idea of  
interrogation was and even worse, what they're mind games could be like. Part of the main  
reason for Ben having such difficulty on the outside was because he couldn't let their torturous  
shit go. It sickened her to her stomach that they'd messed up so many lives.  
  
"I'd rather be back there, y'know that?" he asked breaking the awkward silence that had engulfed  
them, his smile incredulous as he stated what must have sounded like the bizarre.  
  
"Why would you ever want that?" Max asked in disbelief.  
  
"The other kids, they're all free. Joshua, you..."  
  
"We're all free, that's the point."  
  
"I'm not," Alec cut in. "Not out here."  
  
"When I first got out I was scared of everything. Zack was right when he said it was like being  
completely surrounded by the enemy. Everywhere I went there'd be all these people, they'd look  
at me and I'd think they were seeing me for the freak I was, then I realised that they were lookin'  
at me the same way they look at each other. It was a long time before I finally felt good about  
being out there." Max explained hoping he was following.. "I guess freedom and happiness  
don't always go hand in hand, but one can lead to the other."  
  
"When they look at me they see what everyone else sees, even the ones that think they know  
who I am."   
  
"The world's a judgmental place,"  
  
"Don't." his bitter tone cut her off.  
  
"Don't what?" she asked, genuinely lost.  
  
"Don't say that like you're any different. You don't give a damn just like everyone else out there."  
  
"I'm here right now aren't I?" she laid it all down on the line for him.  
  
Alec looked away, temper dying down again as he shivered slightly and ran a hand through his  
still dripping hair. It felt cold and bitter, just like he felt sitting there. Max sighed and grabbed  
the blanket covering her bed and went to kneel by him, sensing that the conversation had gone  
off into another tangent it hadn't intended to. It felt like it did that alot with Alec. Maybe that was  
part of the problem.   
  
As Alec felt Max's presence draw closer he felt his jaw clench tight and lock, but he was unable  
to stop the single tear that spilled over and trickled slowly over his flushed cheek. Emotion was  
weakness, but then again what weakness was there to be had for a shell of a man? Max  
watched the tear as it caught the light and trailed down disappearing into darkness. If words  
were always the problem then they'd have to get around that.  
  
"I'm sorry," she said, her voice taking on a soothingly soft tone.  
  
Alec slowly turned to face her, his eyes dark and brimming with a pain she recognised only too  
well. Reaching out she avoided eye contact, letting him get more comfortable with the kind of  
contact they'd all missed at one time or another. Brushing away the trail the tear had left behind  
she bit her lip slightly and sighed a slow, airy sigh. Alec's body began to shiver and tremble  
more and more.  
  
"Sshhh," she breathed, raising her right arm out of the way. "It's okay."  
  
As Alec's head lowered slowly towards her lap Max leaned back against the wall, her left hand  
settling on top of his head to gently slide into his hair while the other draped over the body  
curled up in her arms. She felt his hot tears as they made contact with her skin. It wasn't the  
first time the broken world around them had been the one to break one of them down, but it  
could be the one time they didn't have to be alone. Grabbing the blanket she pulled it up around  
them and just held him close.  
  
"Max!" Alec finally gasped. "I'm sorry."  
  
"You don't have to be." she reassured him.  
  
"No you don't understand. I don't mean to piss you off or make you hate me, I just...I don't know  
how to be you. I don't know how to be a person outside of Manticore. I'm only good for one life  
and that life's not out here."  
  
"You're not." she said, trying to convince him otherwise to no avail.  
  
"Just a worthless screw up who doesn't matter to anybody."  
  
There was another long silence. The hot sting of tears blinded Alec and he closed his eyes to  
the dim light in the room. Max's fingers combing through his hair felt surprisingly soothing. He  
could feel the tension being swept out of his body to be replaced by something he didn't  
recognise. Comfort.   
  
Back at Manticore kids grew up never knowing the intimate touch of another in that manner.   
There emotion was weakness, a weakness they'd surely be punished for showing. The  
comforting act of just being close to someone else was something left vacant in their lives. Alec  
had never known it before now. No one had ever been there to care about him or how he was  
feeling, no one who'd want to try and comfort him or be there when he needed it. Just having  
that for a second now was enough to make him want to cry again. Such a beautiful feeling to  
have kept out of a life.  
  
"You matter to me," Max finally whispered softly above his ear.  
  
Alec's eyes flew open but he didn't move or make to speak. The realisation and company was  
enough for the moment.  
  
"If we fight it doesn't mean I don't care," she continued, feeling his nervous touch seeking hers  
from beneath the blanket.  
  
Alec's left hand found it's way out from under the blanket to hers, taking it softly he squeezed it  
tight, trying to convey in actions what he couldn't say with words. Max appreciated and  
understood the gesture. That was definitely it, she'd found a way around it. If words were the  
problem, she knew Alec could make himself felt with her in other ways.  
  
Gradually Alec sat up, the blanket pooling at his waist as he turned to face Max beside him on  
the floor. He wasn't sure if he could really let her know what it meant to him, how much it felt like  
his life had changed overnight. Then again, he supposed it didn't really matter. Holding out his  
hand for hers he locked eyes with her.   
  
"Thank you." Alec said, the crack still evident in his voice as he spoke softly.  
  
Max reached out without hesitation and took it, sliding her palm flat against his. There was  
nothing of a romantic nature involved, although the bond itself was just as strong. Although Max  
didn't know it, in Alec's eyes she'd saved his life, his lifeline in a world that had been slowly  
drowning him. Feeling his response Max offered Alec one of her slight smiles as she cocked her  
head to one side very slightly.  
  
"Hey, just doin' what friends do right?"  
  
"I dunno," Alec felt his lips curve into an involuntary smile. "I'm still new at this game  
remember?"  
  
"Well if you ever have any problems in future I'm right here okay?" Max said. "Don't have to let  
things tear you up like tonight."  
  
"Okay," he agreed, feeling a little embarrassed at appearing so vulnerable in front of her.  
  
"Good," Max replied slipping her hand from his and leaning closer to him.  
  
Alec followed her gesture and still looked surprised as he felt her small hands splay out on his  
back, pulling him into a tight hug. It took him a few seconds to react, but slowly his eyes closed  
in sheer relief as he let his arms encircle her, holding her just as tightly. Slowly, after a few long  
moments of peace Max slipped back out of his arms and stood up.   
  
"You're staying here tonight," she stated. "Can't go back out in that storm."  
  
"Whatever you say," Alec replied in a tone much more characteristic of the man she'd met in the  
barracks. Which side's mine?"  
  
Max turned almost dropping the book she'd picked up off her bed and stared at him, verbal  
abuse at the ready for another of their matches. She was greeted by Alec's sly smirk, but his  
eyes were aglow with something she knew ran deeper than whatever lay on the surface for  
others to see. It may not have seemed as apparent before, but even Alec had layers, depths  
which Max knew only too well.  
  
"Sofa's out there," she retorted gesturing aimlessly towards the room on the other side of the  
curtain. "An' if you even think about goin' near Original Cindy's bed I'm not gonna be the one to  
hold her back when she tries to lay a smackdown on your ass."  
  
"Okay, okay," he said raising his hands in surrender. "I'm goin' already."  
  
Max watched as Alec left her room and busied herself with getting back into bed. She'd only just  
picked up her book and opened it to the page she'd dropped it at when Alec's head poked in  
through the curtain again.  
  
"One more thing?"  
  
"Yeah?" Max rolled her eyes and sat the book down by the bedside again, giving up on reading  
entirely.   
  
"What time's breakfast?"  
  
By the time the cushion had hit the curtain Alec's head had already ducked back out of the room  
under cover. With a muffled sigh Max turned over and stared at the wall, waiting for something  
that'd pass for sleep.  
  
* * *  
  
On the other side of the curtain Alec lay awake on the sofa all night. Sleep was kept distant by  
the constant reply of the night's events. His head thumped with a dull ache that passed for the  
best an X5's hangover could amount to, yet he easily dismissed it. He wouldn't confuse the  
message in Max's actions, how could he? He'd been as much a party to her moping as anyone  
else since they'd escaped Manticore's clutches.   
  
Tenderness as something that was missing in his life, or something that had been once. Alec  
had never felt the kind of comfort he'd received from Max that night, everything felt so different  
now. Like for the first time in his life there was something else there that could surprise him.   
The cold that had surrounded him was already beginning to lessen, the warmth of heart shown  
for him by another easily beating it back to the recesses from which it came.   
  
A knowing smirk characteristic of only 494 tugged at his lips as he stared absently at the ceiling.   
Life wasn't going to be all 'born again boy' with him, far from it, but he definitely knew he wasn't  
alone and for that he was grateful. Alec didn't suppose Max'd ever really know how much, for  
what was language for him but another barrier to be dealt with. At least there was someone out  
there who really knew who and what he was, and more importantly, who actually cared. He  
could learn to be a man in this strange world afterall, confidence flaring with the knowledge that  
there'd be someone there for him who understood who he was.   
  
X5/494 wouldn't be gone, maybe just pushed to the back of his mind, the soldier no more. For  
the first time since the escape there was only Alec. 


End file.
